Family of four, family dog, found shot to death in apparent murder-suicide: Police

Utah police say a family of four was found shot to death in an apparent murder-suicide at a home in Mapleton.

A man, woman, teenage girl, and “very young” boy were found dead in their home on Thursday evening, Mapleton Police Chief John Jackson confirmed.

Police performed the welfare check after concerned neighbors told authorities that the lights in the house have been off for several days, and the cars haven’t moved, according to The Salt-Lake Tribune. No one was seen coming in or out of the house for several days, and a local employer confirmed that one of the adults living in the home hadn’t shown up to work for days in a row.

When officers arrived at the home, they received no response from inside. They tried contacting local friends and family about the family’s whereabouts and eventually removed a window and entered the home after they “observed things that caused them concern.”

Jackson said police found the bodies inside, along with the family dog, who was also shot to death.

“Once inside officers found four individuals that were deceased from what appears to [have been] gunshot wounds. Also found deceased with a gunshot would was a large dog.”

The police chief also said that the deaths seem to be a murder-suicide, but officials are waiting for a ruling from the medical examiner’s office.

The family just recently moved into the home. They reportedly had only lived there for the past two or three months.

Fox13 reports that the names of the victims won’t be released until next of kin is notified. Police continue to investigate.

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